Issue Position: Renewable Energy and Climate
Issue Position
Colorado has been a national leader in renewable energy, and it must continue to do so. We are blessed with an abundance of both sun and wind, and we need to use both of those resources to the fullest to generate clean energy. We need to reduce carbon pollution to slow down the warming of the seas and earth that are changing our climate.
It is important for our environment that we encourage a phase out of coal-fired power plants in Colorado, and switch them to renewable energy, and to cleaner natural gas. In doing so, we need to find creative ways to re-train any workers employed in Colorado's coal industry whose jobs may be jeopardized by such a phase-out. They should not become victims of a cleaner environment.
As your state representative, I will:
1. Vote to preserve the renewable energy standard (RES) that requires utilities to purchase 30 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2020. The cost of solar energy has dropped significantly since the Colorado RES was adopted. I believe we should follow California's lead and increase the RES to 35 percent. I would oppose any efforts to roll back SB 13-252.
2. Work to put a plan in place that will insure that all state-owned or state-funded buildings generate as much electricity as possible from wind or solar. The state needs to encourage and incentivize all school districts to switch to solar or wind as well. This will save taxpayers money over the long-term, it will create jobs in Colorado in the wind and solar industries, and it will eliminate millions of tons of carbon being dumped into the atmosphere.
3. I will work to convert our state vehicle fleet to either natural gas or electric vehicles, wherever practical, and encourage local governments to do likewise. We need to work with private businesses to develop a system of electric charging stations around the state, powered by wind or solar to the greatest extent possible.
4. Encourage renewable energy manufacturers to expand in Colorado, or open up facilities.
Kathleen Conti's record on renewable energy
Representative Conti has one of the worst voting records in the Colorado House when it comes to renewable energy. If she is not a climate change denier, she might as well be because she opposes every bill to mitigate carbon pollution, and supports every bill that would increase carbon pollution. Here are just a few of the bad bills she has brought forth and the good ones she voted against.
She was the sponsor of a bill to cut the renewable energy standard (RES) for 20 percent to 15 percent (HB 14-1045).
She was the prime sponsor of a bill to give the utilities an additional five years to comply with the renewable energy standard (HB 14-1067). Her bill would give the utilities until 2025 to comply.
She voted against the bill that extended the RES to rural utility companies, which will double renewable energy in Colorado (SB 13-252).
She voted against a bill to expand charging stations for Electric Vehicles (like the Volt and Tesla) (SB 14-28).
She voted against a bill requiring Home Owner Associations to allow EV charging stations so long as they follow certain rules (SB 13-126).
She voted against legislation regarding high-efficiency plumbing fixtures (SB 14-103).
Kathleen Conti voted against several bills providing funding to make schools more energy-efficient, saving taxpayers money and reducing carbon emissions including (SB 13-279) and (SB 14-202).
She voted against a bill granting an exemption from the personal property tax for solar gardens (HB 14-1101).
She voted against a bill granting a tax incentive for alternate fuel trucks (HB 14-1326).
She voted against a bill allowing Energy districts to issue bonds for Geo-thermal projects (HB 14-1222 ).
If someone put in a bill to eliminate net metering, Conti would more than likely co-sponsor it.
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